𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐦𝐞 𝐜𝐮𝐩𝐜𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 • 𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈

✿ 20.04.22 ✿

I toss and turn under the covers after a rough, fairly sleepless night. I still attempt to find a comfortable sleeping position despite sunlight already streaming through the curtains, casting misshapen shadows across the laminated floor. I curse at the weather for it being such a nice day; usually I would appreciate it but I was too grouchy to feel any sort of happiness right now.

The events of last night still haunt my thoughts, and the memory of a night spent without Noah by my side threatens to bring fresh tears, but I swallow my feelings down like a child forcing down a tablet.

In my opinion, the future of our relationship was to be determined this morning, when he came back. It made me terrified, but also fiercely determined.

On a more positive note, talking with Evelyn yesterday had made the situation a whole lot more manageable. Honestly, I owed that girl my life.

*flashback*

"Evie? Evie, hi." I say as she picks up the phone.

"Hey Maya, why you calling so late? It's 9:00 and I'm trying to watch the Kardashians."

"It's an emergency, Evie. I think Noah's about to have sex with Tiffany."

"Hold on . . . what? Tiffany, as in the super hot super horny, helping Noah with some psychology surveys Tiffany?"

"I-- I didn't say she was super. . . horny. I didn't use that word. But yeah, her."

"Girl, it was severely implied. But seriously?" The background noises of Khloe and Kim arguing from the TV suddenly stop "What-- how? You gotta give me more context."

"Ok, so, basically. Tiffany asked Noah to help her or whatever, but she said she's staying at her grandparent's house in Asheville--"

"Asheville? Isn't that like three hours away?"

"Yeah, it is. But she said it's urgent work and she has to submit it by tomorrow, so, as the annoyingly kind-hearted person Noah is, he drove out there to help."

"Damn, that must suck."

"It does, but that's not the worst of it. He left early this afternoon, so he wouldn't have to come back so late tonight, but apparently they overran and he just called me telling me he's staying over there. He's drunk and unfit to drive."

"Drunk? What the fuck? Why is he drunk if he's doing psychology shit? Doesn't sound like work to me. Sounds like Tiffany purposely got him out of the way and then got him drunk so she could fuck him. That's what always happens in the movies. . ."

I let the gravity of the situation sink in, and it suddenly feels hard to breathe. Could Tiffany really be that. . . twisted? Could she have really done all this to take Noah away from me? My face soon feels hot and red as tears start to fall down my cheeks and hit my phone screen that sits on my lap. How could I let four amazing years spent with the best man in the world, be taken away by a boyfriend-stealing hoe like Tiffany?

"Maya? Earth to Maya, can you hear me? Maya-- Maya, are you crying?" Just hearing the word 'crying' makes the tears fall faster "Please don't cry, Mango. Don't cry, it's gonna be ok. Everything's gonna be ok." Hearing her old pet name for me - mango - brought back happier memories, a feeling of nostalgia and comfort surging through me. "I'm sorry, maybe I should've been more subtle with my words. . ."

"I. . . I just. . . I just feel so stu-stupid." I say between erratic breaths

"Aww, no, girl. You're not stupid, don't say that. What's important to remember when things like this happen is that you shouldn't - not for one second - blame yourself. It's never your fault, always there's. Don't beat yourself up about it."